KEY ELEMENTS OF JACKSONIAN AMERICA:

  • Through the Indian Removal Act, Jackson pushed the natives further west, giving more land for Americans.
  • By closing down the National Bank, Jackson decentalized economic power.
  • As a Democrat, Jackson favored, represented, and promoted more political/economic opportunity and equality for white males.
  • Jackson affirmed the supremacy of national law by upholding the Supremacy Clause to take care of the nullification crisis.
  • Jackson was notorious for really taking care of his supporters with the spoils system.
  • The Whig Party was developed against the Democrats.


[ 10/29/10 ]

Capitalism in America

  • capitalism = an economic system in which the means of production (capital) are privately owned and operated for a private profit; decisions regarding supply, demand, price, distribution, and investments are made by private actors in the market rather than by central planning by the government; profit is distributed to owners who invest in businesses, and wages are paid to workers employed by businesses and companies
  • "Capitalism is the progressive ideal, because it is the only social system that that leaves man free to pursue -- and achieve -- his own happiness.
    Capitalism is the ethical ideal, because it is the only social system that leaves man free to be moral -- to live by the use of his own mind.
    Capitalism is the objective ideal -- because it is the only system that is true, both in philosophical theory and in economic practice."
  • free-market, anarcho-capitalism, merchantilism, social market, state, corporate, and mixed
  • free-market is the main sense of capitalism
  • US does not have pure capitalism
  • capitalism: everyone wants money for themselves
  • capital = money and goods (machinery, resources)
  • controlled by private businesses - individuals + small groups, but NOT gov. ; communism = when means of production ARE controlled by gov.
  • capitalism is focused on who controls the capital ; it favors whoever is at the top (owners of businesses) -- class-based system
  • people who think they have a good change of success favor it, but people who are poor/untalented/unintelligent usually would rather prefer other economic systems that don't focus on who is at the top
  • INVISIBLE HAND
[ 11/2/10 ]
  • economy = big process
  • invisible hand = economy is self-regulated --> because everybody is trying to make $ and businesses are competing, everything is just taking care of itself while the capitalist economy runs smoothly
  • laissez faire ("let be"/"hands off") capitalism = theory of free-market capitalism that is NOT purely practiced in America
  • related to social darwinism - companies either succeed or die out --> survival of the fittest
  • US has mixed economy --> both socialism + capitalism ; gov. does play roles though programs like food stamps, unemployment benefits, social security, etc. & regulates business through rules/taxes
  • gov. doesn't intervene through gov. rules/regulations/taxes ; gov. prevents monopolies
  • US is sometimes called welfare capitalism

Elements of the Economy:
- gov. : rules, regulations, taxes, welfare programs
- industries & businesses
- banks
- workers/unions
- consumers
- investors
- stock market
- schools and education

Economy is a system in which a group of people manage their resources after processing, distributing, and consuming goods, services, and currency.